Whenever You Need Me
by Jak Pickens
Summary: Set in Episode 21 of Season 4 with a content ending. I think that's all I need to say. BrucexSelina. Oneshot
1. Story

**Whenever You Need Me**

Bruce furiously typed a message into his flip phone.

 _Selina, I need your help. Alfred is in trouble. Meet me at the corner of 71 Welding Avenue_

Bruce got into his car and drove a few blocks down to where Jeremiah had told him to go.

He got to the street corner just as Selina was walking up. Bruce nodded to a semi that they could use as cover and they wordlessly started walking towards the building.

Selina told him, "This is the site."

"Thanks again for meeting me, Selina," Bruce thanked her.

"Sure," Selina replied flatly.

Bruce continued, "I didn't have anyone else to call and I know it's asking a lot so, I just really appreciate…"

"Bruce," she interrupted, "I'm gonna be here whenever you need me."

Even in the horrible situation they were in, Selina's words warmed Bruce to the core. They'd been at odds for so long, and the entire time Bruce had been on a constant downward spiral. Then, she came back to him and everything got better almost immediately. Sure, they were tracking down the psychopathic twin of the guy who'd almost killed Bruce several times over, and that same guy was holding his only family left hostage, but at least Bruce wasn't alone this time.

This time, he had an ace in the hole.

Selina jarred him from his thoughts, saying, "Okay, that's the address…" They were standing in front of a large, abandoned factory. "I don't see anyone though, that could be a trap, right?"

"I don't know," Bruce answered truthfully. "Jeremiah could've killed me at the cemetery; he wants something out of me."

"Like what, to be your best friend?" Selina sarcastically replied.

Bruce ignored her snide comment. "Trap or not, if Alfred's in there I need to find out."

Selina shook her head at his bluntness and said, "Alright, B. I'll get up on the rooftops; you go in the front door." With that, Selina was gone, not even giving him the chance to reply.

Bruce chuckled softly. "Sure, that works."

Selina ascended a rickety pole that had sticks shooting out of it, like a ladder, making her way to the top in seconds. She took a quick glance back at Bruce just as he entered the building, silently wishing him good luck.

Climbing up to the top of the roof, she found a service door that'd been left locked.

Selina chuckled to herself.

In her world, a lock was more of a nuisance than an obstacle. In under ten seconds, she had the locked picked and entered the building. There was a staircase leading down to a dark hallway and Selina crept towards it. She didn't know how long she'd been walking for when she came across the first bit of light since she'd been entered the complex.

Stalking in, she counted two guards watching a couple monitors.

Selina's heart dropped.

On the screens were pictures of Bruce, running around the bottom floors screaming for Alfred while, unbeknownst to him, a familiar yellow gas filled the air. It was Scarecrow's fear toxin.

Speaking of which, a raspy voice called out from behind her, "Jeremiah said Bruce Wayne might try to bring his friends… I suppose you're one of them…"

Selina whirled around to see the Scarecrow himself, dressed in his raggedy best. He was holding a sinister looking scythe and his dark eyes seemed to lack any emotion whatsoever. Selina tried to play dumb, saying, "What? No, I just wandered in here."

Scarecrow addressed the two goons behind Selina, "I think our experiment is about to get much more interesting." He started to brandish his gas claws, and Selina came to the conclusion that her cover was officially blown.

Figuring a fight was inevitable anyways, Selina kicked one of the goons in the jaw and the rushed the other.

They fought for a few seconds before Selina kicked one in the groin and threw the other into a full face of Scarecrow toxins.

With just Selina and Scarecrow left standing, the masked man raised his scythe and swung it at Selina. She did her best to dodge, but he eventually got in close and was able to shove her against a wall.

Selina kicked him back and, oddly, he backed off. Saying that it was too late and then running off into the darkness.

A loud banging brought Selina back to reality. She noticed a locked door where the noise was coming from and approached it slowly. She listened and heard muffled shouts coming from inside.

She opened the door and a mass came falling out, a man tied up in a burlap sack. She takes her switchblade and cuts open the top, revealing Alfred inside.

They eventually free him and Alfred immediately asks, "Where's Bruce?"

Selina looks at the monitors and sees that he's currently fighting a man who looked nothing like Alfred, but Bruce kept repeating his butler's name, begging him to stop.

They practically ran down the stair to the theater where Bruce was struggling with the man, trying to not die while also not hurting the man whom he thought was Alfred.

Alfred, the real Alfred, raised a gun he took from the guards and shot the imposter Alfred straight in the head. The now lifeless body fell over the ledge of the seating and landed with a crash down below.

Selina rushed towards Bruce as the boy looked over the edge in horror, screaming and crying, "NO! _NO!_ ALFRED!"

Selina grabbed the sides of his face, forcing him to look at her.

As soothingly as possible, Selina said, "Bruce, look at me. Look at me." She saw recognition flash across his face and she continued, "Scarecrow was just pumping his fear gas in here. You were only seeing what he wanted you to." Bruce's breathing hitched and he stopped struggling so much, although he was still shaking.

He gazed into her eyes with temporary understanding, but it was soon masked over with that same look of fear. "No, no, no," he muttered, repeating himself on loop as he curled up and started to rock himself.

Selina reached out and held the younger boy in her arms, whispering that it was alright, that everything was gonna be okay, that Alfred was fine, that he was fine. Most of what she told him wasn't necessarily true, like how everything was going to be okay, but she figured it wasn't a bad lie to tell him, especially in the state he was in.

He eventually stopped shaking as the effects of the toxin wore off and Bruce was able to speak in a coherent sentence. "S-s-scarecrow…this was him. Jeremiah, he tricked me." His eyes widened, "Alfred?!" he asked, looking around for his guardian frantically.

Alfred knelt down by Selina and told him, "I'm right here, Master B. I'm right here. I'm okay. It wasn't real," he assured.

Bruce nodded, seeming to return to his senses and his sanity.

After taking a few deep breaths, Selina helped Bruce get up to his feet. His knees were still a bit wobbly from the experience, and neither Alfred nor Selina thought that he was in any condition to drive, so Alfred took the keys and went ahead to go start the car.

Selina told him, "You were really brave, you know."

Bruce shook his head, still seeming a bit groggy from the after-effects. And for some reason, he wouldn't look at her. He replied, "Running blindly into a trap that you had warned me about and nearly throwing myself off a ledge to join a complete stranger, who'd just tried to kill me, in death is brave?"

Selina told him, "That toxin was made to tear you apart from the inside out, Bruce. And you're still here."

Bruce shook his head, still refusing to look at her.

Selina only realized they'd been holding hands when Bruce went to open the car door for her. Nodding to him, she climbed in the back seat.

They drove silently to Wayne Manor, Selina occasionally reaching over to pat Bruce on the knee or something else to try and encourage him.

When they arrived, Alfred quickly led the two of them into the study where Selina threw herself down on a couch.

The butler dismissed himself, sensing that Bruce wanted a bit of time alone with Selina.

He sat down next to Selina, and she threw her legs out on top of his lap.

He tried to look at her, but turned away just as fast.

Selina asked, "Bruce…what's wrong?"

He sighed. "The toxin, it isn't wearing off, or, not fully anyways. Every time I look at you…"

She set a tentative hand on his shoulder and told him, "Bruce, it isn't real."

"I know!" he snapped. Regret instantly surged over his face and he apologized, "Sorry, I'm sorry, Selina. It's just that…it all looks so real."

Selina grabbed the sides of his face and forced him to look at her. The instantaneous fear in his eyes made her heart shatter, but she had to be brave for his sake. "Then tell me. What do you see?"

His bottom lip quivered, but he answered, "I see you, with…" he gulped in, "with a gunshot wound in your chest. You're begging me to help you, to save you, but I can't. I can't move. All I can do is watch as you die over and over and over…" Bruce broke down into tears. Selina held his head on her chest, running her nails along the back of his head.

"I'm not," she told him. "I'm okay, Bruce. I'm right here. I'm okay, really."

He eventually restrained the tears, wiping the tracks away from his face. Gazing into her eyes, he reached forward to her cheek and wiped away a few of her own tears.

It'd been years since Selina last remembered crying, and it'd been this kid's butler's fault.

She put her hand on his own, holding it on her cheek. "Bruce, I'll always be here, whenever you need me."

He shook his head. "I don't know what would've happened if you weren't there," he told her.

Their eyes locked on each other, both afraid but not wanting to show it. Bruce leaned in, pausing momentarily to give her a choice to run or to push him back, but she didn't.

Bruce closed the gap and kissed her.

Selina had to admit, she liked it better when he kissed her than vise versa.

They sat there for a few seconds, thoroughly enjoying each other's company.

They broke apart, and gazed at each other.

Selina simply told him, "You're welcome." She asked, "Why do you think he's so obsessed with you?"

Bruce told her, "Jeremiah wanted me to become just like him. His brother said that all it took was one bad day...I wonder if my parents dying made me a little insane. Maybe he sensed that. Maybe he wanted to bring it out?"

"Well you proved him wrong," Selina replied.

Bruce heard footsteps approach and a sense of utter dread washed over him.

A horrifyingly familiar voice said, "To be fair…" Selina stood up from the couch and turned to a gun lodged in her stomach. Jeremiah Valeska was standing there, gun in hand. He sent a quick, sinister grin at Selina before turning to Bruce. "The day's not over yet…"

Bruce stood from the couch just as the shot rang out.

He watched the wave of energy ripple through Selina's body.

Watched as she went limp and dropped onto the table behind her.

Watched as Jeremiah turned to him like it was nothing and carelessly tossed the gun onto the couch.

Watched as he rushed onto Selina and applied pressure to her wound, begging her to stay with him.

Watched as Selina did all she could to hold onto her life.

Watched as Selina's eyes went glossy and her head fell to the side.

He watched, but could do nothing.

His worst nightmare, worse than anything the Scarecrow or Jeremiah could've come up with, it'd become a reality.

Bruce rushed alongside Selina's gurney, holding her hand as the doctors tried to keep her conscious and stable.

She asked him, "Are you gonna leave me?" The fear in her voice broke his heart, but it was his turn to be brave for her.

Alfred had managed to keep her breathing until the ambulance arrived, and from there they'd had to do some major work during the drive to keep her alive. The whole time, Bruce had been right there by her side, begging her to stay with him, saying that she was all he had, that losing her would break him.

He was being selfish, but he didn't care.

He told her, "I'm gonna be right here, I promise."

She passed out again just as they cleared the doctor's doors and Bruce had to stop.

He sunk down against the wall, praying a prayer to whatever god was up there to save her. He knew she couldn't hear him, but he didn't care. To no one in particular, he said, "Whenever you need me, I'll be here."

7 Days Later

Bruce knocked on the door of Selina's hospital room. She looked up at him and smiled, sarcastically saying, "You look like shit."

Bruce nodded and smiled at her. He asked, "Are you alright?"

She shrugged. "Doctors say I'll be fine in a couple weeks." She asked, "What happened in Gotham?"

"They haven't told you?" he asked. Selina shook her head and Bruce lowered his gaze to the floor. "Nothing good. As soon as you were stable, I had you moved here, just in case."

"How bad is it?" Selina pried.

Bruce sighed. "Bad. Really bad." He held up the flowers he'd been carrying. "These are for you."

Selina took them and mocked, "Aw, B, you shouldn't have."

He smiled and asked, "May I sit?"

She cocked her head to the side in slight worry. "Sure, I guess?" She saw a grave, serious look spread over his face. "What's wrong?"

He sat on the edge of her cot, leaving enough space between them to not make her uncomfortable, but still being close to her. He breathed out heavily and told her, "I'm leaving Gotham, for a while, at least."

She nodded. "I see."

"And I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to you since I'm the one who got you into this mess."

Selina shook her head. "You really gotta stop taking responsibility for the actions of psychos."

He scoffed. "No, I can't. Selina, all the training, all the tests, all the things I've gone through…I think I'm meant for something more than just being 'Bruce Wayne, Billionaire Playboy Philanthropist.' Like I have some greater purpose than that."

She shook her head. "You're full of shit sometimes, you know that?"

He smiled. "Maybe." He pulled out a card from his back pocket and set it on her bedside table.

"What's that?" she asked.

"My new phone number."

She looked at him sadly. "You're really going?"

He nodded. "I'm really going. But if you ever need me for anything, I'll be here. Selina…I…"

She never let him finish his sentence. Selina grabbed the back of his head and neck and pulled him into a kiss. Bruce took no time to react and return the act of love, moving closer to her and holding her face in his hand. They sat there for who knows how long, kissing and holding one another. They'd been through so much together, and just when they might have been happy, Fate had struck again.

Selina eventually pulled back for air. Bruce took her hands in his own and told her, "I have to go." He nodded to the folded up paper on her nightstand, saying, "Call that and I'll be here, whenever you need me. I don't care if I have Ra's in a headlock, I'll drop everything and get to Gotham as soon as I can."

"Where are you gonna go?"

"Right now, Thailand. And from there, I have no idea," Bruce answered.

Selina squeezed his hands and told him, "Be safe."

He leaned down and kissed her once more, farewell, and turned. When he reached the doorway, he turned back to her and said, "Selina, I love you." With that, he walked out of the hospital room and out of her life, for a time at least.

Unbeknownst to Bruce, Selina responded, "I love you, too, Bruce."

She picked up the card and read it over a couple times, then folded it up into a tiny piece of paper. She unlatched her locket her mother had given her and, next to the new picture of Bruce she'd put in there a year back, she put the phone number in and latched it shut.

Bruce told Alfred, "Alright, I'm ready."

Alfred tentatively asked, "Are you sure you want to do this, Master B? I could come with you…"

"No, Alfred," Bruce responded, "But thank you for your concern."

Alfred nodded. "Well, if you need anything, anything at all, call me and I'll be there."

Bruce nodded. "I understand, Alfred. Actually, there is something you can do for me."

Alfred seemed to perk up at that, asking, "What?"

"Keep an eye on Selina for me. Don't stalk her or anything, just check up here and there or leave groceries at her apartment or something. Gotham's changed, and I know she'll adapt, but I still want you to make sure she's safe, okay?"

"Selina Kyle…safe? That'll be the day," Alfred joked.

Bruce nodded, "Still, keep an eye on her for me."

"Will do, Master B," Alfred told him, a serious demeanor replacing his light grin.

"Thank you, Alfred, for keeping me safe, for everything," Bruce told him. He set down his suitcase and hugged his butler.

Alfred told him, "It was my duty, sir, and I'm not sure if we have the same definition of safe."

Bruce chuckled. "Yeah, I guess so." He checked his watch and said, "I have to go."

"I'll keep dinner warm for you," Alfred told him. "Bruce, you've grown up so much in these past six years, and I can't express to you how proud your parents would be of the man you've become. Now, off you go then."

Bruce took his luggage downstairs to the taxi waiting to take him to the Metropolis Airport.

Alfred asked him, "Why Thailand, Master Bruce?"

"Because," Bruce replied, "there're stories about a man who fended off an entire terrorist regime and saved his village all by himself. They call him Xạṣ̄win dả."

Alfred asked, "What does that mean?"

"It's Thai for The Dark Knight," and with that Bruce climbed into the taxi and drove away from Wayne Manor.

His taxi driver told him they were five minutes out and Bruce thanked him. He pulled out his special cell phone Lucius had designed for him. Alas, there were no messages from Selina, but, at the same time, he didn't really want there to be. She was everything to him, and the journey he was about to undertake, if done correctly, would be sure to make him enemies. Enemies that could hurt her.

For now, Bruce Wayne was on his own, with just an empty suitcase, the clothes on his back, a plane ticket, and empty pockets. That, and a satellite phone for Selina to call him on.

The taxi drove right onto the runway, and Bruce climbed out, tipping him heavily. He climbed onto a private jet and, checking his phone once more, said, "Whenever you need me, Selina, I'll be there," and packed it away for the flight.

 **A/N: I'm sorry I didn't manage to post this on Thursday night, but it was almost midnight and I knew I was still shook from "One Bad Day," so I pushed this off until Friday morning. Thanks for reading! I also apologize for any grammar mistakes since I really didn't go back and edit this since I wanted to be the first one to post. Oh, and if you want to read my rant about that episode, continue reading down below.**

 **I freaking hate this show. But I also freaking love this show. I was so excited when Bruce and Selina** _ **FINALLY**_ **kissed that I literally stood up from my couch and started jumping around. Then, god-freaking Jeremiah had to show up and shoot Selina in the freaking stomach. I had to rewatch that scene a couple times to get the canon dialogue for his fanfiction and I about cried each time I watched it. Bruce and Selina just can be happy, can they? Damn you Gotham. I've rolled with the punches, I've accepted when you killed off the best villain just so you could stand by a statement you said three years ago, I accepted that Barbara Kean will be a different character each season, I've accepted everything you've thrown at me and I'm still here. But, if you** _ **dare**_ **cripple Selina, I. AM. DONE. You already crossed a line with shooting her just after everything went good, but I can live with that. What I can't live with is if you have the balls to A: cripple her to turn her into the oracle, or B: ruin their relationship again. Now I understand that I probably sound like a little bitch, but this is my line. If Gotham chooses to cross it, so be it, but it will lose a consistent viewer. Please understand that I adore this show and this is just me rambling, and that I love the storyline and characters with a passion, and that I still have dozens of stories I want to write for this series.**

 **Thank you for reading.**


	2. New Series?

**A/N:**

 **Hey everyone! Just wanted to ask you if you'd like me to make this storyline into a full-scale series, following Bruce as he goes around the world, training with Masters of all the skills he'll need to become Batman.**

 **If that interests you make sure to review so I'll know.**

 **Thanks!**


	3. A Really Hard Choice

**A/N:**

 **Okay, so I'm having a really hard time writing for Gotham right now. My main multi-chapter series,** _ **Roles Reversed**_ **, is just kicking off its second season and I got to thinking: maybe I should look into developing a series from** _ **Whenever You Need Me**_ **. Then I thought, "Will I have time to finish before the end of Season 5?" and that got me super depressed. The more I think about it, the fandom will probably disperse by the end of May/June when the final season ends, and that makes me super sad since this is my all time favorite live-action television show and I've invested hundreds of hours of my life into watching and writing about it.**

 **So I think I'm gonna have to make a choice and I want your help on it. Should I start up a series based off of Whenever You Need Me and end Roles Reversed after I conclude Season 2 (maybe 3), or should I continue purely on Roles Reversed and try and finish the series (from Seasons 2-4/5) in an extremely short timeframe? I know that some of you will stick around for a long while after it ends, but all good things do come to an end and people move on. I** _ **really really really**_ **don't want the show to end, but I know it's inevitable and I want to make the best out of the time that we have left as a decent-sized community. I would really appreciate your feedback as I honestly have no idea what to do.**

 **And just to be clear: I will be finishing Season 2 of Roles Reversed either way, so fans of that series needn't worry.**

 **Thanks!**


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